The Conservative Party manifesto promises to abolish HIPs (Home Information Packs) — but will this really be a vote-winner? What have most people, including politicians, not realised about HIPs? And could this harm, not help, the housing market?
Horizon House, the Environment Agency’s new corporate office in Bristol, was recently awarded the highest ever BREEAM score for an office in the UK. It perfectly illustrates a big win for the building’s occupiers: a 10% saving in running costs due to being in a sustainable office building. Until you can occupy a building like that, there are other money-saving suggestions you can implement from a commercial EPC.
Renewables just got a lot more interesting. From April this year, a scheme will be launched that encourages British homes and small businesses to generate renewable electricity by paying you to produce it. That means paying you for every unit you produce, up to 5 MWh a year — even what you use yourself. It [...]
Everyone who sets up a business believes they have something unique to offer. And if you’re good enough at it, finding and keeping customers shouldn’t be a problem… right?
In practice, often something else happens. As more and more competitors come along, many of them competing on price, it’s easy to feel that you have to cut your quotes too. Many businesses end up taking on more and more work just to pay the same bills.
What can you do when everybody around you is cutting throats and cutting prices to stay in business?